Before the start of the playoffs there was an argument among National Football League observers about who the worst starting quarterback was among the playoff teams.

That battle for that dubious distinction was between Andy Dalton of the Bengals and Christian Ponder of the Vikings.

Vikings backup Joe Webb, a third-year player who did not attempt a single pass in the regular season, was not an option.

Yet when it became clear that Webb was going to start for the injured Ponder, the initial commentary suggested this change would be more of a challenge for Green Bay than it would for Minnesota.

You suspected this was some kind of tangled Webb being weaved by NBC commentators in order to sell the drama of the change.

Game analyst Cris Collinsworth talked about the "uncertainty" Webb presented for Packers’ defensive coordinator Dom Capers. He didn’t mention, at least to begin the telecast, that Webb would have to pass the ball at some point to give his team a chance to win. Collinsworth did mention that requirement for Webb by the end of the first quarter.

Astonishingly, NBC studio analyst Tony Dungy said Webb gave the Vikings a better chance of winning the game than Ponder.

This of course begs the question why Webb has not been starting before now.

"I think he does in Lambeau," Dungy said. "He brings an element they haven’t seen. They are going to have to defend something different. I like the Vikings chances."

Rodney Harrison, Dungy’s foil, said Webb could not make enough plays with his feet to help the Vikings score enough to win.

"Aaron Rodgers will put up four touchdowns," Harrison said.

Dungy said Minnesota could score at least four touchdowns with Webb.

Webb confirmed Dungy’s opinion of him to begin the game by converting on a third down with a run, which helped set Minnesota’s first field goal. But that was the only scoring by Minnesota in the half.

"He likes him because he’s his best friend," Harrison said, referring to Dungy’s relationship with Vikings’ coach Leslie Frazier.

Webb completed 3 of 12 passes in the first half.

"You just wonder how many Minnesota Vikings fans find themselves going ‘Boy, I sure wish we had Christian Ponder,’ " Collinsworth said. "Where all season long they were trying to figure out a way to put him on the bench."

Patrick needled Dungy the first chance he got about getting caught up in a Webb of naïve optimism.

"Defense is going to make some plays for us in the second half," Dungy said as Patrick and Harrison guffawed.

At the end of the halftime segment, Patrick said to Dungy: "Joe Webb fan club ready for the second half?"

"Let’s go, Joe," Dungy said with a laugh.

In the second half, Collinsworth said Webb would have to complete passes on first down to give his team a chance to win.

That didn’t happen. And, other than Dungy, there wasn’t anyone who thought it could.

In NBC’s starting lineup introductions, in which players tell viewers their college (or high school or grade school) they attended, Vikings defensive end Jared Allen of Idaho State, said he attended the "Culinary Academy." Al Michaels went along with Allen’s bit, saying the Culinary Academy has a "beautiful campus."

About Bob Wolfley

Bob Wolfley retired in October 2014 He wrote the SportsDay blog and column and about TV and radio issues.